This article describes how to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi using the built-in Windows tools using the operating system as an example, the procedure for the operating system is the same.
In the Anniversary Update and later updates for Windows 10, the ability to create an access point is implemented in the graphical interface of the system, for how to set up an access point in Windows 10 Anniversary Update and later updates for Windows 10, read the article
Why might this be needed? For example, you have purchased a tablet or phone and would like to access the Internet from it at home without purchasing a router. In this case, you can distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop or a personal computer with a Wi-Fi adapter, which are connected to the network both wired and wirelessly. Let's see how to do it.
Run Command Prompt as Administrator. To do this, press the key combination + X and select the item in the context menu that appears. Command line ( A administrator).
In the opened window Administrator: Command line enter the command:
press a key Enter↵, and see what it says about hosted network support. If it is supported, then you can continue. If not, then most likely you have not installed the original driver for the Wi-Fi adapter (install from the manufacturer's website), or you really have a very old device.
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=testwifi key=12345678and press the key Enter↵
Enter another command:
Press the key Enter↵This is the command to start the access point.
Next, we allow the use of general access to the Internet.
Press the keyboard shortcut + R in the dialog box that opens Run enter ncpa.cpl and press the key Enter↵
In the opened window Network connections right-click on the connection through which you receive the Internet (in this example it is ethernet, since the laptop is connected to the Internet via a network cable), and in the context menu that opens, select Properties
In the opened window Ethernet properties go to tab Access. Check the box next to Allow other network users to use this computer's Internet connection, in the dropdown list Home network connection: select the network that appeared after starting the access point. Most likely, yours will look something like the screenshot below. Click the button OK
All now you can take your device and connect it to the Internet via Wi-Fi, which is already distributing your laptop.
And one more command that may be useful to you in order to find out the status of your wireless network, the number of connected clients or the Wi-Fi channel:
To stop the distribution, use the command:
When using this method, the distribution of the Internet via Wi-Fi stops after each shutdown or restart of the laptop (personal computer). One solution is to run the command:
netsh wlan start hostednetwork
or create a bat file with this command and add it to startup, or run it yourself when necessary.
To delete the created access point, run the command:
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow
Problems when sharing Wi-Fi from a laptop
■ The most common problem is when the device connects to the access point created on Windows 8.1, but the Internet does not work. Sites do not open. Or when there are problems getting an IP address.
Solution: completely disable your antivirus, antivirus utilities, . Most likely they are blocking the connection. If everything works after disabling the antivirus, then you need to add the connection to the antivirus exclusions.
Check your internet sharing settings as in the screenshot above.
Also, check that you are distributing exactly the connection through which the laptop (personal computer) has access to the Internet.
■ There is also a problem when you receive a message that this type of network is not supported - update the drivers for the laptop (personal computer) Wi-Fi adapter, and not through Windows, but from the official website of your device manufacturer.
When attempting to create a virtual Wi-Fi network using the netsh wlan start hostednetwork command, the user may encounter a message that hosted the network failed. In this article, I will explain what this error is, and also explain how to fix the “The Hosted Network Couldn’t be Started” problem on your PC.
Among the causes of the netsh wlan start hostednetwork error, I would note the following:
First, check if your computer has a Wi-Fi adapter. If for a laptop and a netbook this is implied a priori, then for owners of stationary computers everything is not so clear. Look for the Wi-Fi adapter in the Device Manager (subsection "Network adapters"), there it is usually listed as an adapter for a wireless network.
It also happens that the wi-fi on the PC is turned off by the user himself (either through the button to turn off the wi-fi module, or by pressing a keyboard shortcut, for example, for me, it's Fn + F2). Make sure your Wi-Fi module is enabled and working. So what to do?
Now you can connect your virtual network through the standard "netsh wlan start hostednetwork" command.
If the previous two methods did not help you to start the netsh wlan start hostednetwork hosted network, then Microsoft recommends that you perform the following steps:
How it all looks visually can be seen in the video:
In most cases, the indicated problem with netsh wlan show drivers is solved by enabling a virtual adapter, which is often hidden from the user's eyes. You can also advise restarting your Wi-Fi adapter, in addition, some of the users were helped by a set of tips from Microsoft experts on disabling and enabling a hosted network. Well, for those who did not have a Wi-Fi adapter at all, we can advise you to purchase such an adapter at the nearest specialized store.
In contact with
It just so happened that at work to get a full-fledged Internet without restrictions, I have to use a netbook and a 3g modem. Recently, having bought an iPod Touch, I really wanted to connect it to the Internet. If the smartphone could still get out on the Internet on its own, then with the player it is somewhat more difficult.
One option is to connect with a sync cable. The option is not very convenient, since there is absolutely no desire to carry a cable with you all the time, and you don’t want to install iTunes either. The second option, the one described in this article, is connecting via WiFi. Already on Habrahabr, but for Linux. Our task is to configure the same thing under Windows.
You can do everything yourself through the console using netsh. This is the way I chose. All actions must be performed on behalf of the Administrator.
The success of the command will look something like this:
Hosted network mode is allowed in the wireless network service. Hosted network SSID changed successfully. The hosted network user key passphrase was successfully changed.
Now you can go to Control Panel \ \ . I have it called "Wireless Network Connection 2".
To stop the network, you must use the command:
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
As you probably know, a Windows computer can easily be turned into a Wi-Fi hotspot that other devices can use to access the Internet ( , ).
However, Microsoft did not provide normal means of removing such an access point in Windows 10 when it is no longer needed.
As a rule, users perform the following steps to remove a virtual Wi-Fi adapter:
However, the problem is that with such a disconnection of the Microsoft virtual Wi-Fi adapter, after restarting the computer, this device again appears in the list of network cards
The fact is that with such a shutdown, the hidden virtual adapter still remains in the system (it is not deleted), and if you need to create a new access point, then a new virtual adapter with an ordinal index will appear in the system (Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter # 2 , Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #3, Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #4, etc.), and it will still use the configuration of the old access point. Thus, several virtual adapters can be present in the system at the same time, and only one of them can be active.
Access point settings are stored in the registry, so to clear them you need to in the registry branch HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WlanSvc\Parameters\HostedNetworkSetting s delete DWORD parameter HostedNetworkSettings.
You can remove the parameter with the command:
reg delete hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\wlansvc\parameters\hostednetworksettings /v hostednetworksettings
Now you need to restart your computer. After downloading, check that the hosted network settings are reset
net start wlansvc
netsh wlan show hostednetwork
In field Settings section Hosted network settings value should remain Not configured.
With Intel WLAN adapters, there is another problem. If the computer has the Intel My WiFi Technology / Intel My WiFi Technology module installed (usually installed with the Intel PROSet / Wireless driver package), the system may have 2 Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport network adapters that cannot be removed.
In this case, you need to find Intel PROSet / Wireless in the list of installed software in the control panel, change it and remove the Intel My WiFi Technology component.
After that, one virtual adapter should disappear. The second one can be removed by the method described above.
It just so happened that at work to get a full-fledged Internet without restrictions, I have to use a netbook and a 3g modem. Recently, having bought an iPod Touch, I really wanted to connect it to the Internet. If the smartphone could still get out on the Internet on its own, then with the player it is somewhat more difficult.
One option is to connect with a sync cable. The option is not very convenient, since there is absolutely no desire to carry a cable with you all the time, and you don’t want to install iTunes either. The second option, the one described in this article, is connecting via WiFi. A similar task and its solution have already been mentioned on Habrahabr, but for Linux. Our task is to configure the same thing under Windows.
You can do everything yourself through the console using netsh. This is the way I chose. All actions must be performed on behalf of the Administrator.
The success of the command will look something like this:
Hosted network mode is allowed in the wireless network service. Hosted network SSID changed successfully. The hosted network user key passphrase was successfully changed.
Now you can go to Control Panel \ \ . I have it called "Wireless Network Connection 2".
To stop the network, you must use the command:
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
